Article of clothing

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a clothing item ( 1′ ), in particular a jacket or a pair of trousers, in particular a motorcycle jacket for motorcyclists, including a chamber ( 4′ ) for accommodating a body part ( 2′ ) of a wearer of the clothing item ( 1′ ), in particular a leg or an upper body, and including an outer material ( 3′ ) which encloses the chamber ( 4′ ) externally at its circumference, and including a substantially breathable, wind-resistant and waterproof membrane ( 5′, 6′ ) which is arranged at the internal side of the outer material ( 3′ ), wherein the membrane ( 5′, 6′ ) is fastened with a fixed membrane portion ( 5, 5′ ) internally on the outer material ( 3, 3′ ) and extends with the fixed membrane portion ( 5′ ) over part of the circumference of the chamber ( 4′ ). It is proposed that the membrane ( 5′, 6′ ) with a loose membrane portion ( 6′ ) is not fastened to the outer material ( 3′ ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a clothing item, in particular a jacket or apair of trousers, preferably a motorcycle jacket or motorcycle trousers.

From the prior art, there are known clothing items having amulti-layered construction with an externally situated outer material(e.g. leather or textile) and an internally situated membrane (e.g.Gore-Tex®), which is breathable, wind-resistant and waterproof. When aclothing item of this type is used in rain, the membrane ensures thewaterproofing of the clothing item. However, the use of a clothing itemof this type in warm outside temperatures is problematic, since thebreathability of the membrane depends on the temperature differencebetween the internal side and the external side and increases with thesize of the temperature difference. At high external temperatures, thebreathability of the membrane is therefore relatively small, such thatthe wearer of the clothing item can sweat, which is undesirable.

In order to solve this problem, clothing items are known in which themembrane can optionally be inserted into the clothing item or removed.When the clothing item is used in rain, the membrane is inserted intothe clothing item, whereas the membrane is removed when the clothingitem is used in high outside temperatures and dry air. However, clothingitems of this type with a removable membrane are impractical since themembrane has to be removed or inserted in a relatively complex way.Moreover, the removed membrane must then be taken along in a separatepocket in the jacket or in a special luggage item.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a suitablyimproved clothing item. This object is achieved with a clothing itemaccording to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention encompasses the technical teaching of providing a clothingitem with a breathable, wind-resistant and waterproof membrane, whereinthe membrane is firmly bound to the clothing item, but can be adjustedbetween different settings in order, during rain, to offer sufficientwaterproofing and nevertheless, during warm outside temperatures withoutrain, to prevent sweating of the wearer.

The clothing item according to the invention has a chamber for receivinga body part of the wearer of the clothing item, wherein said body partcan be, for example, the leg or the upper body of the wearer. Theclothing item according to the invention can thus be, for example, ajacket or a pair of trousers.

Furthermore, the clothing item according to the invention comprises anouter material which externally encloses the chamber at thecircumference of the chamber. For example, the outer material can beleather, artificial leather or a fibrous textile wherein the outermaterial can also have a plurality of different layers which lie overone another and are firmly connected to one another.

Furthermore, the clothing item according to the invention comprises amembrane which is breathable, wind-resistant and waterproof, whereinsuch membranes are known from the prior art and therefore do not need tobe described in detail. For example, membranes of this type are soldcommercially under the Gore-Tex® brand.

In the clothing item according to the invention, the membrane isarranged on the internal side of the outer material and is fastenedinternally on the outer part with a fixed membrane portion, wherein thefixed membrane portion extends over a part of the circumference of thechamber.

The clothing item according to the invention is distinguished in thatthe membrane with a loose membrane portion is not fastened to the outermaterial.

The loose membrane portion can thus alternatively be in contact with theinternal side of the outer material or with the internal side of thefixed membrane portion. If the loose membrane portion is in contact withthe internal side of the outer material, the chamber is surrounded overits entire circumference by the membrane, which results in goodwaterproofing. If, however, the loose membrane portion is in contactwith the internal side of the fixed membrane portion, then two membranelayers lie over one another there, whereas no membrane portion ispresent on the opposite side. On this side without a membrane portion,the clothing item is therefore relatively wind-permeable, which preventssweating by the wearer.

The loose membrane portion is therefore preferably adjustable between arain setting and a ventilation setting. In the rain setting, the loosemembrane portion is in contact with the internal side of the outermaterial so that the chamber is surrounded by the membrane over itsentire circumference. In the ventilation setting, however, the loosemembrane portion is in contact with the internal side of the fixedmembrane portion, so that the chamber is then surrounded by the membraneonly over a part of its circumference.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the fixed membraneportion is arranged on the rear side of the clothing item. In a jacket,this means that the fixed membrane portion is situated in the backregion of the jacket. In the case of a pair of trousers, however, thismeans that the fixed membrane portion is situated at the leg rear side.

It should also be mentioned that during its intended use, the clothingitem is preferably subject to an airflow. In the case of a motorcyclejacket or a pair of motorcycle trousers, this airflow is created by thespeed of travel of the motorcycle. In such a clothing item, the fixedmembrane portion is preferably arranged on the side of the clothing itemwhich, during its intended use, faces away from the airflow. This isadvantageous since, in the ventilation setting of the clothing item, theairflow can penetrate into the clothing item, so that sweating by therider is prevented.

It has already been mentioned that, in the ventilation setting, theloose membrane portion lies over the fixed membrane portion so that twomembrane layers lie over one another, so that the breathability of themembrane is reduced. This disruptive effect of the double-layeredness ofthe membrane at this point can be compensated for in that the loosemembrane portion is coated areally on the side facing away from thefixed membrane portion with an air-permeable spacer (e.g.three-dimensional textile). Situated then between the body of the wearerand the loose membrane portion is the air-permeable spacer (e.g.three-dimensional textile) so that sweating by the wearer is preventeddespite the double-layeredness of the membrane at this site.

In the ventilation setting of the loose membrane portion, theair-permeable spacer therefore enables an airflow between the body partin the chamber and the loose membrane portion.

It should also be mentioned that the loose membrane portion and thefixed membrane portion preferably each extend over 30-70%, 40-60% orsubstantially 50% of the circumference of the chamber.

It should also be mentioned that the membrane with the loose membraneportion and the fixed membrane portion can be constructed integrally.However, alternatively, the possibility also exists that the loosemembrane portion and the fixed membrane portion are separate parts whichare only then joined to one another.

It was briefly mentioned above that the membrane can be a commerciallyavailable membrane, for example, a Gore-Tex® membrane. In order toachieve the sufficient breathability, the membrane has a plurality ofpores with a large pore density, wherein the pore density is preferablyat least 100,000/cm², 200,000/cm², 500,000/cm² or 1,000,000/cm². Thesize of the individual pores is preferably substantially smaller than awater drop and substantially larger than a water molecule.

Finally, it should be mentioned that the clothing item is preferably amotorcycle jacket or a pair of motorcycle trousers. However, with regardto the type of clothing item, the invention is not restricted to theseexamples but can also be realized with other types of clothing items.

Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized inthe dependent claims or are described below in greater detail togetherwith the description of the preferred exemplary embodiments of theinvention, making reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional view through a leg of a pair ofmotorcycle trousers according to the invention in a rain setting,

FIG. 1B shows the trouser leg of FIG. 1A in a ventilation setting,

FIG. 2A shows a cross-sectional view through a motorcycle jacketaccording to the invention in the region of the upper body in a rainsetting, and

FIG. 2B shows the motorcycle jacket of FIG. 2A in a ventilation setting.

FIGS. 1A and 1B show an exemplary embodiment according to the inventionof a pair of motorcycle trousers 1, wherein the two drawings each show across-sectional representation of a trouser leg in the region of a leg2.

FIG. 1A shows a “rain setting” which offers optimum waterproofing and isused when riding during rainfall.

FIG. 1B, however, shows a “ventilation setting” which offers optimumventilation with reduced waterproofing and is used, for example, whenriding during summer in high outside temperatures without rainfall.

The motorcycle trousers 1 comprise an outer material 3 which can beconstructed in conventional manner and can consist, for example, ofleather, fibrous textile or a plurality of different layers of differentmaterials.

The outer material 3 encloses a chamber 4 which accommodates the leg 2,which is per se known from the prior art and therefore need not bedescribed in detail.

Mounted on the internal side of the outer material 3 is a membrane whichconsists of a fixed membrane portion 5 and a loose membrane portion 6.

The fixed membrane portion 5 is fastened by means of an adhesive layer 7to the internal side of the outer material 3, specifically on a rearside 8 of the motorcycle trousers 1. The fixed membrane portion 5extends herein approximately over half the circumference of the chamber4.

Alternatively to the adhesive layer 7, the possibility also exists thatsituated between the fixed membrane portion 5 and the internal side ofthe outer material 3 is an air layer. The fixed membrane portion 5 canthus be fastened to the outer material 3 in another way, for example bypoint-wise sewing.

The loose membrane portion 6 is integrally connected to the fixedmembrane portion 5 and is situated at a front side 9 of the motorcycletrousers 1. It is important herein that the loose membrane portion 6 isnot connected to the outer material 3. The loose membrane portion 6 cantherefore assume different settings, specifically firstly, the rainsetting shown in FIG. 1A and secondly, the ventilation setting shown inFIG. 1B.

In the rain setting shown in FIG. 1A, the loose membrane portion 6 isfolded forward and then is in contact with the internal side of theouter material 3 at the front side 9 of the motorcycle trousers 1, sothat the chamber 4 is surrounded over its entire circumference by thefixed membrane portion 5 or by the loose membrane portion 6, whichcauses optimum waterproofing and rain resistance.

In the ventilation setting shown in FIG. 1B, the loose membrane portion6 is folded backwardly against the internal side of the fixed membraneportion 5. Then, no membrane at all is situated at the front side 9 ofthe motorcycle trousers 1, so that the airflow there can penetraterelatively easily through the relatively wind-permeable outer material 3into the chamber 4, in order thereby to ventilate the leg.

However, there are then two membrane layers of the loose membraneportion 6 and of the fixed membrane portion 5 on the rear side of theleg 2, so that the breathability there is reduced. In order to preventsweat formation at the rear side of the leg 2, the loose membraneportion 6 is therefore coated at its front side with an air-permeablespacer 10. The air-permeable spacer 10 enables air flow at the rear sideof the leg 2 between the leg 2 and the front side of the backwardlyfolded loose membrane portion 6.

The exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B largely matches theexemplary embodiments described above and illustrated in FIGS. 1A and1B, so that for the avoidance of repetition, reference is made to theabove description, wherein corresponding details are identified with thesame reference signs with an apostrophe.

A peculiarity of this exemplary embodiment lies therein that theclothing item is a motorcycle jacket 1′.

Otherwise this exemplary embodiment matches the above describedexemplary embodiment.

The invention is not restricted to the above-described preferredexemplary embodiments. Rather a plurality of variants and derivations ispossible which also make use of the inventive concept and therefore fallwithin the scope of protection.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   1 Pair of motorcycle trousers-   1′ Motorcycle jacket-   2 Leg-   2′ Upper body-   3, 3′ Outer material-   4, 4′ Chamber-   5, 5′ Fixed membrane portion-   6, 6′ Loose membrane portion-   7, 7′ Adhesive layer or air layer between outer material and    membrane-   8, 8′ Rear side of the motorcycle trousers-   9, 9′ Front side of the motorcycle trousers-   10, 10′ Air-permeable spacer

What is claimed is:
 1. A clothing item comprising: a) a chamber foraccommodating a body part of a wearer of the clothing item, b) an outermaterial which encloses the chamber externally at a circumference of thechamber, and c) a substantially breathable, wind-resistant andwaterproof membrane which is arranged on an internal side of the outermaterial, wherein the membrane is fastened with a fixed membrane portioninternally on the outer material and extends with the fixed membraneportion over part of the circumference of the chamber, d) wherein with aloose membrane portion, the membrane is not fastened to the outermaterial.
 2. The clothing item according to claim 1, wherein the loosemembrane portion can alternatively be placed in contact with theinternal side of the outer material or with an internal side of thefixed membrane portion.
 3. The clothing item according to claim 2,wherein a) the loose membrane portion is adjustable between a rainsetting and a ventilation setting, b) in the rain setting, the loosemembrane portion is in contact with the internal side of the outermaterial so that the chamber is surrounded by the membrane over itsentire circumference, and c) in the ventilation setting, the loosemembrane portion is in contact with the internal side of the fixedmembrane portion so that the chamber is surrounded by the membrane onlyover a part of its circumference.
 4. The clothing item according toclaim 3, wherein the fixed membrane portion is arranged on a rear sideof the clothing item.
 5. The clothing item according to claim 3, whereina) during its intended use, the clothing item is subject to an airflow,and b) the fixed membrane portion is arranged on a side of the clothingitem which, during its intended use, faces away from the airflow.
 6. Theclothing item according to claim 3, wherein the loose membrane portionis areally coated on a side facing away from the fixed membrane portionwith an air-permeable spacer.
 7. The clothing item according to claim 6,wherein in the ventilation setting of the loose membrane portion, theair-permeable spacer enables an airflow between the body part and theloose membrane portion.
 8. The clothing item according to claim 3,wherein the loose membrane portion and the fixed membrane portion eachextend over 30%-70% of the circumference of the chamber.
 9. The clothingitem according to claim 3, wherein the membrane is configuredintegrally.
 10. The clothing item according to claim 3, wherein theloose membrane portion is connected to the fixed membrane portion sothat the membrane is gaplessly continuous over the circumference of thechamber.
 11. The clothing item according to claim 3, wherein the outermaterial comprises at least one of the following materials: a1) leather,a2) artificial leather, and a3) fibrous textile.
 12. The clothing itemaccording to claim 11, wherein the outer material has a plurality oflayers lying over one another.
 13. The clothing item according to claim12, wherein the outer material is more wind-permeable than the membraneis.
 14. The clothing item according to claim 13, wherein the outermaterial is more wear-resistant than the membrane.
 15. The clothing itemaccording to claim 14, wherein the outer material is less waterproofthan the membrane.
 16. The clothing item according to claim 3, whereina) the membrane is microporous, and b) the membrane has pores with apore density of at least 100,000 cm⁻², and c) individual pores of themembrane have a pore size which is substantially smaller than a waterdrop, and d) individual pores of the membrane have a pore size which issubstantially larger than a water molecule.
 17. The clothing itemaccording to claim 3, wherein a) the clothing item is a motorcyclejacket and the body part is an upper body, and b) in the rain setting,the loose membrane portion lies in at least one of a chest region and anabdomen region of the wearer, and c) in the ventilation setting, theloose membrane portion lies in a back region of the wearer.
 18. Theclothing item according to claim 3, wherein a) the clothing item is apair of trousers and the body part is a leg, and b) in the rain setting,the loose membrane portion is in contact with a front side of the leg,and c) in the ventilation setting, the loose membrane portion is incontact with a rear side of the leg.